


The breaking of rule SE165

by KarmaZach



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora vs. She-ra, Catra is thrown out the Horde, Catra must run for her life, For the honor of Greyskull, Ghost Catra, Horde rules, Regret, catadora teased, run the gauntlet, will Adora help
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-08-28 04:26:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 2,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16716561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KarmaZach/pseuds/KarmaZach
Summary: Catra must run for her life after she is accused of breaking rule SE165.  Can she find help?





	1. Run or die

Catra had to run.  She was panting, and her body ached she knew it was death to stop.  She knew the Horde cohort that pursued her would show no mercy.    The White Gloves (high raking Horde inspectors)  had accused her of breaking rule SE165.   That was a day ago, last night the members of her old cohort formed the gauntlet.  She was made to run the gauntlet in full dress uniform. 

 Each person tore something off her, and then struck and or kicked her.  By the time it ended Catra was naked and bruised from head to toe.  An hour ago she crossed a cohort.   Apparently, the word that she broke rule SE165 had spread to the whole Horde.   So now every Horde solder could kill her without fear of consequences.  Then she had a thought. Maybe Adora would help her.  No Adora would be specious of her and rightfully so.

The question was how to prove herself to Adora.

                                      


	2. a duty to perform

Adora stuck her head into the helmet of a falling Horde soldier.  This was odd to Bo, and Glimmer, but many things the ex-horde soldier did seemed odd.  Bow looked to Glimmer to ask the question, so she did.

“Adora, what in the name of the gods are you doing?”

Adora answered with the helmet on. 

 “Getting intelligence on the Horde, Glimmer.”

Then her she exclaimed with disbelief.  

“No way, she couldn’t, she wouldn’t break THAT RULE!  I have to help her.” 

With that Adora threw off the helmet and started running.  Which made Bow and Glimmer run after her.  They called out for her to wait up.  They also asked who was it she had to help, and why?  Adora did not hear them.  She had a duty to perform. 

Catra was beyond exhausted.  Two hours ago she had given up on a way to convince Adora to help her.  Two soldiers closed in on her.  Death would come soon Catra knew that with absolute certainty.   If there was an afterlife the thing she would miss the most from this life would be Adora. 

Adora saw the Horde soldiers close in on Catra. She called to Bow, who fired two arrows which knocked the two back four feet.  Neither Bow nor Glimmer saw Catra lying there.  However, as they as Adora did see the Horde Cohort.    Adora knew as Adora, she would only get them all killed, but She-ra could save Catra.  So she drew her sword and held it aloft. 

“For the honor of Greyskull!” 

With a blinding flash of light, Adora was transformed into She-ra.  The battle lasted maybe five minutes.  At its end, four Horde soldiers lay dead.  She-ra transformed back into Adora.  She went over to Catra, kneeled down and checked for a pulse.   


	3. Flacon’s Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Adora, Bow, Glimmer, and a wounded Catra survive the many perils of Frist One's ruin called Flacon’s Nest?

After Adora found Catra’s pulse she scoped her into a fireman’s carry.  She looked at Bow and Glimmer and communicated the need to run.  So, they ran into the Whispering Woods.  Adora didn’t fallow a path, and some knew the way to go. 

Bow and Glimmer wondered what Catra did to make Adora rush to her aid.  After an hour they couldn’t run anymore.  They needed rest and food.  Catra needed a skilled healer.  A first ones fortress up ahead.  Adora didn’t know how but she knew they needed to get inside it. 

When Bow and Glimmer saw which fortress it was, they turned white with fear.  They were at Flacon’s Nest.  Bow said in a fearful whisper. 

“Adora, I’d rather take my chances with the Horde then go in there.”

Adora’s reply sent shivers down their spines.

“Glimmer, Bow no you wouldn’t, trust me there are far, far, worse things than death.  Which right now is the best we can hope from any Horde unit or soldier.” 

That made things simple they would brave Flacon’s Nest.  Adora spoke the word of entry which was “Zora.”    Once in the door, they were in total darkness.  Adora called out.

“Hello, anyone here?” 

Then Adora was outside, standing face to face with She-ra.  Catra, Bow, and Glimmer were gone. She-ra drew her sword and charged Adora.  Adora drew her own sword and parried the attack.  She-ra’s attacks were to fast, it was all Adora could do just to counter them.  Hours past in their fighting. 

With each new attack, She-ra called out.  “Why protect Catra?”  “You have no honor.”   “The sword made a mistake in chosen you.”  “Face it, Adora, you’re nothing but a Horde soldier.”  “Why protect one who threatens the whole of the Horde?  That is what it means to break Rule SE165, don’t you know?”  “Just let Catra die, Adora, it is for the best.”

Then Adora heard Catra’s voice.  Catra always saw She-ra for who she truly was.  Catra could take out She-ra whenever she wanted.  She knew the secret, now Adora knew it as well.  Adora held her sword aloft. 

“What are you doing Adora?” She-ra snarled.

“Putting you back where you belong.” Adora wheezed. Then in loud voice, she cried out.

“For the honor of Greyskull!.  I am She-ra.”

Everything went black and Adora heard an echo of her own voice.  No time had passed here.  She was back in Flacon’s Nest.  It was Bow who spoke he sounded scared and hopeful. 

“Maybe no one’s here.”

Just then a torch lit itself beside them.  Adora could see everyone was accounted for, and narrow stairway leading down. 


	4. Catra's ghost

 

Catra heard a woman’s voice.  It was saying.

“Come to me Catra.  I await you in the throne room of Flacon’s Nest.”

Catra answered in her thoughts, as the world went black.

“How do find Flacon’s Nest?  In case you haven’t heard, I’m about to die.”

To which the voice replied.

“Your friend shall bear you.” 

Then Catra was outside herself watching Adora scope her body into a fireman’s carry. She couldn’t hear anything Adora or anyone else said.  Adora then went into the Whispering Woods.  Along with those two rebels, Glimmer and Bow. Catra was drug along with Adora and her physical body.  It was soon obvious to Catra that no one could see or hear her.

They stopped at a ruin, something about it scared the two rebels.  To Catra the choice was simple.  She knew that closest Horde Force Commander was Mantenna.  If he got his hands on them, he would have her killed, and then run forbidden experiments on Adora and her friends.  As was his right, because they helped someone broke the one unbreakable rule.

Adora must have talked sense into those two.  They went into the ruin.  Then she was outside looking Adora and She-ra.  A tall blond woman stood with her.  The woman wore a simple gray dress.  Unlike Adora, this woman could see her.  The woman spoke.

“Come to watch your friend die?”

 Catra’s response was.

“What are you talking about?  Who are you, lady?”

The woman replied with sadness.

“I forgot my name over a thousand years ago.  I was the first to wield the She-ra, but then as now the power great.  I fought the raw power of the She-ra for control and lost.  Soon after my mortal body died, and the power passed to others.  With each new wielder of the She-ra the raw power grew.   Each wielder must fight as I did, for control.  And as I did all lose to the She-ra.”  Catra replied with.

 “The She-ra never fought a trained Horde soldier, who earned the rank of Force Captain before! My money is on Adroa!”

 Catra look at Adora, who was starting to tire.  She could barely counter the attacks.  Catra walked over and stood in front of Adora.  Knowing Adora couldn’t hear her she poured out her heart.  Adora heard some of it.  Then she raised her sword over her head.  As she did the woman pulled back Catra and said.

“Stupid girl, all have tried that.  The raw power of the She-ra kills them when they do, as it will you.”

As Adora cried out.

“For the honor of Greyskull!.  I am She-ra.”

A black smoke filled the room.  Though it Catra saw Adora look at her sword, then sheath it.  She had won.  The woman was gone.  She was back in dark entireness hall of the ruin, it still dark.  Catra lit a nearby torch. 

 


	5. Stretcher bearers

As they walked down the stairs Bow and Glimmer told Adora about Flacon’s Nest.  According to them was once the seat of power for the first ones.  For the past millennium, many have entered Flacon’s Nest.  So far only one person is known to have made it out and is now in a mental ward.  All he ever says is

“The three must go to her!  She waits…”

Adora asked who “She” was.  Both Bow and Glimmer had to admit ignorance.  When they came to landing, Adora called a halt to check Catra.  A quick check found Catra had serious wounds.  Adora knew if picked Catra again it would be fatal.  Adora didn’t let Bow or Glimmer see the tears welling in her eyes.

Catra’s ghost knelt as did Adora.  She saw the tears, Adora was trying to hide.  She knew the reason Adora wanted to cry.  She knew Adora better than anyone.  Then Catra saw a door appear and open.  Two figures stepped out, between them was a stretcher.  They lifted Catra’s body on to the stretcher and secured it.    Have done so they vanished.  This time Catra wasn't taken with her physical body.

To Adora Glimmer, and Bow Catra’s body just levitated a few feet and vanished.  Then from somewhere in the darkness behind came the roar of a great cat.    Then the voice of a giant saying…

“Only the worthy, may cross unharmed.”  

 


	6. Adora’s Honor

 

They all ran to the base of the stairs. There they saw a large room.  To Adora, Glimmer, and Bow the room was filled with piles of treasure, but to Catra it held only dead bodies.  All of them, however, saw the giant green lion.  Its massive yellow eyes searched each of their souls.  Then to Adora, Bow, and Glimmer with unmoving lips it said.

“Touch nothing, and ye shall live.”

At the same time to Catra it said.

“What holds honor for thee?  What will aid thee, when the time comes, for battle?“

Then the lion vanished, and they started slowly to cross the room.  It was hard for Adora, Bow, and Glimmer not to touch anything.  From time to time, one of them had to be restrained from touching a pale.  It made no sense to Catra why Adora would want to touch dead bodies.  Catra remembered how squeamish Adora was. 

Then Catra had an epiphany, Adora and new “friends” were seeing something else.  Maybe they have been seeing different things since she lit that first torch.  She hoped Adora kept that sword of hers ready.  Something bad was going to happen.

An earthquake shook the room, knocking Glimmer off balance into a pail.  Adora, Bow, and Catra were knocked to the floor.  Monsters shaped like bodies rose up and attacked Bow and Adora both drew their weapons.  The monsters knocked the weapons from their hands, breaking the arrows, and bow and sent the sword flying from sight. 

Adora and her new friends were blocked from Catra’s sight, but she knew they needed help.  The zombies that attacked them passed through her.  This made Catra wonder what the lion meant when said.

 “What holds honor for thee?  What will aid thee, when the time comes, for battle?“

Adora’s sword land hilt up in front of Catra and a woman’s voice said.

“Catra the time has come.  Now take up the sword before you and sat this right.”

Catra searched her mind.  What had to honor; Greyskull, no that took her friend away made them enemies; the Horde, no they wanted her dead, without real proof of guilt.  There was one person who ever had true honor in her eyes.  So Catra set her mind and heart on Adora: beautiful, strong, smart, and loving Adora.   With that, she took hold of the sword and cry out!

With Adora’s Honor!

Starting from the sword a blinding light filled the room.  When it subsided Bow, Glimmer, and Adora saw the zombies, not treasure monsters; and Catra had her body back.  Adora and Bow exclaimed in unisons.

“What was that? Where’s Glimmer?”

Glimmer was in trouble.  She was cut off from Bow and Adora and starting to tire.  Zombies were closing in.  She could barely stand let alone fight.  Catra knew she had to save the princess of Bright Moon.  So she did.          


	7. Queen's Decree

Catra carried Glimmer maybe 30 yards when she saw Adora.    She knew if they were to have chance Adora had to become She-ra.  Catra yelled to Adora to catch and flung her the sword.  In the throne room, a lone woman stood and watched the four through an orb.   

The woman watched as Catra, Glimmer, Bow, and Adora get into author room safely.  She then approached and knelt before the throne, and the queen seated on it.   The seated queen spoke.

“Your daughter is beautiful.  She will reform and lead the armies of Bright Moon.  She will avenge your village, and all the peoples of Etheria wronged by Hordak.  The legions of the Horde shall bow down before the throne of Bright Moon.  This I decree.”

As the queen spoke the whole of Flacon’s Nest got brighter.  Adora used her sword to block the entrance as soon as they were all though.    Adora and Bow scouted down the corridor they now found themselves in.  It was narrow and short with a door at the other end, Then Adora changed back to normal.  Catra took the first watch.  To pass the time she talked to Adora.  They spoke of old times. 


	8. “Who goes there!?”

Catra went silent, her hair stood up.  Adora knew her old friend had heard something.  The two now communicated using signs.  A woman’s figure stepped into the light.  It spoke each of their names in turn.  Bow and Glimmer woke up at the sound of their names. 

Adora drew her sword and gave chance saying.

“Who goes there!?”

The woman replied with.

“Princess Adora put away thy sword, She-ra will not be needed this time.  Come!”

A gloved hand was offered.  The woman made signs of surenesses to them   Glimmer barked out a.  “why are you here?” quat rudely.  The woman did not seem offended, however her reply had both her and Bow wishing they were elsewhere.  Any where else. 

“The Sorceress Queen, has sent me.”

Was her reply.  Nether Adora nor Catra ever saw people as terrified as Bow and Glimmer.  At least not while the person was still living.  All four of them followed the woman to the throne room. 


	9. the Sorceress Queen in Brightmoon

The Sorceress Queen greeted each of them by name.  She appointed Catra to be the general of the armies of the rebellion. Glimmer tried to polity tale her it wouldn’t work.  That her mom would never give military command over to a former Horde soldier.  The queen’s face was unreadable, and impassive as she spoke.

“Is that so?  Queen Angella does not have a choice in this matter.”

With that, she waved her hand, and a white brilliance filled the room.  When it was gone they were all standing in the throne room at Brightmoon.  Everyone without exposition genuflected at sight of the Sorceress Queen. 

When the Sorceress Queen, made her decree Queen Angella had no choice but to obey it.  So ends this tale. 

To be continued…


End file.
